Wire tightener



Dec. 19, 1933. F. H. WHITMAN WIRE TIGHTENER Filed Aug. 3, 1931 zo fh ZVHHM? lll.,

INVEN TOR. Fred H. VWzz'man A TTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 194, 1933 UNITED *STATES 1,939,740 wma TIGHTENEB Fred ll. Whitman, Wauwatola, Wis.. signor to A. 0. Smith Corporation. Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of New York Application August 3, 1931. Serial No. 554,793

7Clalms.

This invention relates to an apparatus for tightening wire about bales and bundles preparatory to tying.

'I'he object oi the invention is to provide for tensioning a wire about a bale or bundle and providing two parallel contiguous portions which may be twisted about one another to tie the wire.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of wire tightening apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation of the apparatus showing a wire engaged by the dogs;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the end portions of the wire tied and released from the dogs;

Fig. 4 is a view in section taken on line 4-4 oi Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view in section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a view vin section taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. 2.

The present embodiment of the invention comprises a frame 1 of sufficient rigidity to withstand the pull of the stretched wire. At opposite ends of the frame are T-shaped feet 2 and 3 secured thereto. One end of the frame 1 is provided with a bracket 4 through which a short stub axle 5 extends. The axle 5 serves to support a drum 6 upon which an end 7 of the wire 8 is wound. The drum 6 is provided with a radial projection 9 which supports the handle 10 by which the tightener is operated as hereinafter described.

The outer face of the drum 6, as shown in Fig. 2, is provided with an elliptical flange 11 so shaped as to hold the loose end 7 of the wire 8 against slipping oil during the tensioning operation, and is cut away on two sides, as shown in Fig. 2, to provide for easy insertion and removal of the wire from the drum at the beginning and nish of the tightening operation.

As described hereinbefore. the handle 10 is mounted on a radial projection 9 of the drum 6. The lower end of the handle 10 is forked and is provided with an adjusting set screw 12 by means of which it may be set in any predetermined angular position relative to the drum 6. One of the arms 13 of the fork 14 is provided with a serrated arcuate gripping surface 15 so disposed as to nrmly engage the end 7 of the wire which is bent around the lower portion of the drum 6. The movement of the handle 10 55 first causes the gripping surface 15 to clamp the (Cl. 25d-79) end 7 of the wire against the drum. Further movement of the handle 10 toward the trame 1 causes the drum to rotate upon the stub axle 5 and to tighten the wire aboutthe bundle. The wire 7 is released by movement of the handle 60 10 away from the frame and a new grip may be secured to further tighten the wire.

Inasmuch as the ultimate end in tightening the wire is to have the ends thereof side-byside and parallel, means are provided in the form of a pair of slotted guides 16 and 17 to ,hold and guide the wire during the tightening operation and maintain it in proper position for the twisting machine. In order that the wire may be drawn tightly, it is first looped (0 about the bundle to be tied and the two ends thereof inserted beneath the dogs 18 and 19 and through the slotted guides 16 and 17 as follows:

The end to be drawn to tighten the wire is u inserted beneath the dogs and into the slots of said guides rst, the handle and drum being in the position shown in Fig. 3; then the end that is to be held stationary during the tightening operation is inserted into the guides 16 and 17 and go beneath the dogs and disposed to be engaged by dog 18; then the loose end of the wire is bent around the drum and under the gripping surface 15 of the fork v14. Each of the dogs 18 and 19 is held tightly against the wire 8 by springs 20 and 21 extending from the guides 16 and 17 to the lower end of the dog.

In order to facilitate the adjustment of the dogs to tighten wires of different sizes, bolts 22 having eccentric portions on which the dogs are pivotally mounted are provided, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The dog 18 is so placed as'to secure the xed end of the wire. The dog 19 is likewise pivoted but faces in the opposite direction to grip the end 7 to maintain the wire taut while the handle 10 is moved back to secure a new grip. In order that the dog 18 may permit free movement of the strand of wire, a -small groove 23 is cut in the foot 2, as shown in Fig. 4, so that no pressure will be exerted by the dog 18 upon the wire as it is being drawn through the guide and around the drum 6. Beneath the dog 19, the foot 3 has a slightly elevated portion 24 to support the end 7 of the wire and a slight depression 25 by means of which the fixed end is left out of contact with said dog. Each dog has a serrated face 26 to grip the wire. In addition to the spring pressure exerted upon each of the dogs, there is the pressure caused by the tensioning o1 the wire which causes the lower 11 end to seek the lowest part of the arc about its pivot. 'I'his pressure by far exceeds the pressure exerted by the spring. The lower end of each of the dogs 18 and 19 is provided with a flange 27 to prevent the wire 8 from slipping from the grip thereof and to become released.

As shown, the dogs 18 and 19 are provided with members 28 and 29, respectively, which extend inwardly. Lugs 30 and 3l are provided on the handle 10 for engaging the members 28 and 29, respectively, to retain them in tripped position to permit the insertion of the wire or to actuate the dogs to release the wire.

The operation of the machine may be briefly described as follows:

The wire to be tightened is placed within the slotted guides 16 .and 17 and beneath the dogs 18 and 19 as described above. With the wire locked in position for tightening and the loose end '7 bent about the drum 6, the handle 10 is placed in a vertical position with the upper end thereof moved away from the frame to its greatest extremity, as shown in Fig. 2. Thus placed, the handle is moved slightly toward the frame 1 to grip the wire 8 and then is moved in the same direction to bring the gripping surface 15 into contact with the wire drawn about the drum 6. Before the wire may be tightened to its proper tension, it may become necessary to move the handle 10 back to the starting position to secure a new -grip upon the wire and the operation repeated until the proper tension has been secured. There is then provided a pair of tightened parallel contiguous wire ends so held that a wire twisting machine of any type well known in the art may be inserted between the two guides 16 and 17 and the final twisting imparted to the wire to secure it about the bale, as shown in Fig. 3. When the wire is tied, the dogs 18 and 19 are released by striking the dog extensions 28 and 29 with a pair of lugs 30 and 31 carried by the handle 10, or with any implement the operator may have in his hands at the time.

, I claim:

1. In a machine for tightening wire around bundles for tying, in combination, a frame, dogs for holding the wire carried by the frame, said dogs being disposed to hold end portions of the wire taut and in parallel relation, means for drawing the wire through one of the dogs to perform a tightening operation, and means carried by the tightening means disposed to engage the dogs and hold them in open positions to permit the insertion of the wire.

2. In a machine for tightening wire around bundles for subsequent tying, in combination, a frame, dogs disposed on the frame for holding end portions of the wire taut and in parallel relation, a drum, means cooperating with the drum for drawing an end portion of the wire through the dogs to tighten the wire about the bundle, and spaced guides for holding the taut wire in position for twisting.

3. In a machine for tightening wire around bundles for subsequent tying, in combination, a frame, a drum carried by the frame, means for actuating the drum, means disposed to cooperate with said drum to grip and tighten the wire, dogs for holding the wire taut when the grip of the tightening means is released, and guides for maintaining the taut ends of the wire in contiguous parallel relation for twisting after the tightening operation is complete.

4. In a machine for wire tightening, in combination, a frame, a drum carried by the frame, a lever for actuating the drum, means carried by said lever for cooperating with said drum to grip and tighten the wire, and a flange on the face of the drum to prevent accidental disengagement of the wire during tightening, portions of said flange being cut away to permit the insertion and withdrawal of the wire.

5. In a wire tightening apparatus, in combination, a frame, a foot at each end thereof, a pivoted dog cooperating with each foot to grip the wire and hold it during the tightening operation, a flange on each dog to prevent accidental disengagement of the wire, and means under each dog for maintaining a portion of one wire in engagement with the dog while permitting the other wire to move freely through the dog.

6. In a wire tightening apparatus, in combination, a frame, a drum for drawing the wire to be tightened carried by the frame, a radial extension on said drum, a handle pivotally attached to said radial extension, and a serrated cam surface carried by said handle and disposed to cooperate with said drum to grip the wire and draw it when the handle is actuated.

7. In a wire tightening apparatus, in combination, a frame, a drum rotably mounted on the frame, a handle for actuating the drum, a serrated cam actuated by the handle and cooperative with the drum to grip the wire, a flange for maintaining the wire on the cam, the flange having a side which is substantially in line with the surface of the drum and disposed in a predetermined position relative to the handle to facilitate the insertion and removal of .the wire, and spring biased means for holding the ends of the wire in parallel relation as it is tightened by the operation of the handle.

FRED H. WHITMAN. 

